Slow cooker - what's the first thing I should try?

MSE_James

Last autumn I bought a slow cooker on a special offer, full of good intentions to get into cooking delicious meals while I'm at MSE Towers to enjoy when I get home, as well as batch cooking and freezing things to reheat in a hurry. 

I haven't actually got round to using it yet and it's been sitting in my kitchen for far too long.  

There are so many recipes online (and in previous threads on this board) which look great, but some of them are a bit more elaborate that I would like for my first attempt at using the slow cooker and getting used to how it works.

Can anyone suggest a simple, tasty and idiot-proof recipe that will help me build up my confidence and enthusiasm for slow cooking? 

Toonie

So, it all depends on what you enjoy eating and any dietary preferences. Yesterday I made "bendy carrot and slightly sad looking sweet potato" soup. On the weekend I slow cooked a gammon joint for dinner, and then sliced the rest for sandwiches. Today I'm using it for making a ragu. What do you usually enjoy?

bouicca21

Onion, garlic, maybe carrots, maybe bell pepper, water and stock cube, tomato purée, meat of your choice.  Simples.

joedenise

Whole chicken - cut a couple of onions in half and put in the bottom, sit the chicken on the top and cook on Low for 8 hours.  Chicken will fall apart and be beautifully moist.  Can then use the meat for loads of different meals.

Nelski

Lots but some of my favourites 

Sausage casserole
Chilli
Bolognaise
Beef in red wine 
Pulled pork in BBQ sauce
Soups any combination but try pea and ham
Chicken and mushroom casserole
Curry
I even did my Christmas turkey in it

goldfinches

I love my slow cooker and now that I've had it a while I'm much more confident about adapting recipes for it but like you I  was rather tentative initially. 

I've found these websites Good Housekeeping UK, BBCGoodFood, Olive Magazine, Sainsbury's Magazine all have a good range of slow cooker recipes to browse through. 

I also found a couple of very helpful books at my local library and borrowed the one I thought had the most useful explanations and starter recipes. 

Here are some recipes that I can vouch for being quite straightforward as well as not needing too many expensive or unusual ingredients to start you off. 
Vegan Slow Cooker Dumpling Stew (goodhousekeeping.com) - this includes dumplings that are very easy to make in the food processor and taste great made with butter rather than vegan spread so do give them a go.
Slow cooker sweet potato soup - Slow cooker vegetable soup recipe (goodhousekeeping.com) - easy soup that tastes good whether you blend it or not.
Chipotle sweet potato & black bean stew with cheddar dumplings recipe | BBC Good Food - again this has dumplings and I've made them in my food processor very easily and they are delicious.

Happy eating.

Novice_investor101

My favourite is really simple. Beef Brisket joint. Chop an onion, pour some stock (or just water) into the slow cooker to cover the brisket by 2/3, throw in the onions & some pepper. Cover & leave to cook on low for 7-9 hours depending on how falling apart you want it. 

I cook it so it’s sliceable & then freeze slices in the cooking broth in tupperware. Great to then use in sandwiches or to heat up & eat for a ready made roast & gravy 

My SC is a tiny 1.5ltr so it cooks quicker. More like 6 hours on low to do a small brisket joint

Wraithlady

The only thing I would add is - how big is the slow-cooker? I have 2, the small one for 2-person stews and the very large one (christened the 'baby bath ' by my OH) - obviously, you wouldn't do a chicken in the first, it wouldn't fit!

Pollycat

Toonie said:

So, it all depends on what you enjoy eating and any dietary preferences. Yesterday I made "bendy carrot and slightly sad looking sweet potato" soup. On the weekend I slow cooked a gammon joint for dinner, and then sliced the rest for sandwiches. Today I'm using it for making a ragu. What do you usually enjoy?

+1 to this.

I use my 2 slow cookers a lot.
Today, I have some diced chicken that I'll toss in flour, add some chopped red & green peppers, mushrooms, onions, tin of chopped tomatoes, chopped chillies, garlic and stock.
I'll put a range of spices in - always hot paprika, usually onion powder/ground cinnamon/ground cumin/black pepper/oregano or whatever takes my fancy.

With the addition of creme fraiche stirred in at the end, it turns into a very nice goulash that we'll have with tagliatelle.
Any leftover goulash is very nice with jacket potato for lunch.

prowla

I often do a sausage casserole in mine.

A jar of paprika is always good to have handy.

Anything with chopped meat, potatoes, carrots, tinned & fresh tomatoes, mushrooms will work fine.

MSE_James

Thank you all - @goldfinches you sum it up well - I'm just feeling rather tentative at the moment and I'm looking for something with relatively few ingredients that I can throw in and chalk up as an early success to give myself confidence to try more complicated recipes.

@Wraithlady  - it's a 3.5 litre Morphy Richards.